Writing center tutor skills for your resume and career

A resume should focus on the person's strongest, most relevant qualifications, experiences and professional skills, stated as much as possible in the "buzzwords" of the profession. Resumes are tailored to the specific job for which the candidate is applying. In addition to qualifications, professional skills and experience, employers also want applicants who are efficient, effective, timely, flexible, collaborative, adaptable, technologically savvy, accepting of constructive criticism, willing to improve performance, and skilled at solving problems before or as they as arise. Candidates should learn and practice using the tools that the employer uses, whether it is equipment, machines, technology, or software applications. The degree of familiarity or proficiency the candidate has for the tools the employer uses should be listed on the resume and shared in the interview. Before the interview, candidates should practice using the tools that the employer uses, prepare specific examples and instances of their proficiency in using those tools, and when possible, use the tools the employer uses during the interview.

I recommend that applicants approach their resumes in three ways. First, place yourself in the shoes of the potential employer. What qualifications, experience, and additional skills would you would want in someone you hire for the job? Second, think about what you want to convey and how you wish to represent yourself. Third, because English is read from the left to the right, mentally divide the resume page into quadrants, and place your most relevant information in the upper left quadrant first and then move to the upper right quadrant. This format is also appropriate for eye or word recognition software, used in many large-scale businesses and school districts, to scan the many resumes they receive.